Erika Kikuchi hits her second shot on the 9th hole during the second round of the Daikin Orchid Ladies at the Ryukyu Golf Club in Nanjo, Okinawa A symbol of wealth and social standing in Japan 40 years ago, golf suffered a deep downswing in its popularity after the nation's economic bubble burst in the early 1990s. With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic and a dramatic shift in the lifestyles of many Japanese, the sport is enjoying new-found popularity. The Golf Digest Online course reservation site reported a record number of bookings in calendar 2020, up 12% on the previous year, while the organization for golf course operators announced that player numbers were up 10% in October compared to that of the same month one year earlier, which was before the pandemic struck. Similarly, operators of golf driving ranges and companies selling golfing equipment and specialist clothing for the sport are all reporting incr...
And there, is a free clearance possible? Who has never heard this question? It is usually followed by a more or less long discussion on the advisability of having "added" this difficulty to this precise place...
First of all, we must remember the golden rule of golf:
"Play the ball where it rests, play the course as it is and if you can't do either do what's right."
In fact, the discussions are mainly about assessing what is right. Fortunately, the rules, supposed to have everything planned, have well defined a number of cases where it is possible to obtain a free clearance.
But I warn you right away, the thing is not simple and it has not been easy to find a guideline in all special cases where a free release is possible.
Principle of free clearance
Generally speaking, free clearance is possible when interference with one of the "abnormal conditions of the course" appears.
1 – The term abnormal conditions of the course includes:
– a land under repair
– animal
holes – obstructions
– temporary water
2 – Interference with an abnormal course condition occurs when any of the following situations occurs:
– The player's ball touches or rests in or on an abnormal condition of the course,
– An abnormal condition of the course physically interferes with the player's
stance zone or intentional swing – Only when the ball is on the green, an abnormal condition of the course on or off the green occurs on the line of play.
These first two cases are detailed in the rest of the article
But there are other cases that can give rise to a free release:
3 – When a ball is driven into its own impact in the general area.
Everything is said in the infographic below.
When the ball is considered to be driven a free clearance of a club length is possible.
4 – In case of interference with detritus
The case of rubbish has been considerably simplified since the 2019 rules.
Today, without penalty, a player can remove rubbish anywhere on or off the course, and he can do it in any way, with the hand, the foot, a club.
But be careful not to move the ball by removing a detritus. The penalty is 1 point.
There are two exceptions:
– If you have been forced to raise your ball and have the obligation to put it back in the same place, it is impossible to take advantage of the ball to clean the rubbish that was around or under the ball. The punishment is 1 point.
This exception does not apply when the ball is on a green.
– If a ball is in motion and it is obvious that it will come into contact with a detritus, it is forbidden to move it. There is no penalty but the ball must be returned to its original position.
Abnormal conditions of the course
Land under repair
Any part of the route defined as land under repair. In general, the parts of the route considered to be under repair are marked by stakes (often blue) or delimited by lines.
Any land under repair thus defined includes both:
– all soil within the edge of the defined area, and
– any grass, bush, tree or other natural element, growing or, rooted in the defined area.
Branches that extend above the ground outside the edge of the defined area are part of the land under repair.
The roots of these plants that stand out outside the edge of the defined area are not part of the land under repair.
To discover a little more about the land under repair click on the black banner below.
The edge of the land under repair should be defined by stakes, lines or physical elements.
In general, these areas are fairly well demarcated. When the edge of the land under repair is defined by lines or physical elements, stakes can be used to indicate where the land under repair is located, but they have no other meaning.
A free clearance of a club length is possible for a ball resting on a field under repair as defined by the rules.
Animal holes
Any hole dug in the ground by an animal, except when the hole was dug by animals that are also defined as rubbish like worms or insects.
The term animal hole includes:
• The material that the animal has extracted from the hole,
• Any marked track or trace leading to the hole,
• Any area on the surface of the ground raised or altered as a result of the animal digging the hole under the ground.
A free clearance of a club length is possible for a ball resting on or in a hole dug by an animal.
Obstruction
An obstruction is an artificial object that can bother the player. But the so-called integral elements and the limit elements are not obstructions. They are considered part of the journey.
The rules give examples of obstructions (click on the black banner):
Rule 8.1 made it clear that it is "forbidden to move, bend or break, any immovable obstruction, any integral part or element of limits".
But what is meant by an integral part?
Note 2H of the rules provides clarifications.
« The integral elements are artificial objects whose free release is not allowed. »
Then the note specifies some examples to discover by clicking on the black banner below.
Removable or immovable obstruction?
What is the difference between a removable obstruction and a permanent obstruction? Theoretically one can be moved without any particular effort or damage and the other cannot.
For example, it is easier to move a rake than a sprinkler head!
But as in golf nothing is simple:
– A local rule or the Committee of a particular event can always declare as irremovable an obstruction that could be easily misplaced.
– If part of a non-removable obstruction or an integral part (e.g. a gate or door or part of an attached cable) can be manoeuvred effortlessly, this part is treated as a removable obstruction.
Pay attention to the elements of limits. These are neither obstacles nor integral parts. They should not be moved. If a stake marking an "out of bounds" hinders the game, you have to deal with it. It is always possible to declare an unplayable ball to get out with a penalty point.
A free clearance of a club length is possible for interference with an irremovable obstacle as defined by the rules.
For a removable obstruction things are simpler:
Without penalty, a player can remove a removable obstruction, or get rid of it for free anywhere on or off the course, in any way.
But there are two exceptions:
– The starting marks cannot be moved if the ball is played from the starting area.
– When the ball is in motion it is forbidden to remove a removable obstruction that it could hit. No penalty but the ball must be returned to its starting position.
Two infographics to understand everything about free clearance in case of removable obstruction.
Temporary water
Any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the soil regardless of its origin.
However, this water must not be in a penalty area, and it must be visible before the player takes his stance or after he has taken it (without pressing excessively with his feet).
It is not enough that the ground is simply wet, muddy or soft or that the water is momentarily visible when the player walks on the ground; an accumulation of water must remain present before the stance is taken or after.
Special cases:
• Dew and frost are not temporary water.
• Snow and natural ice (other than frost) are, at the player's choice, either rubbish or, when on the ground, temporary water.
• Manufactured ice is an obstruction.
A free clearance of a club length is possible for a ball resting on a temporary accumulation of water.
The abnormal condition is on a green:
This infographic summarizes everything you need to know.
And now? What am I going to do?
Well now that we have made the effort to assimilate these possibilities of free release it must be understood that a local rule can change everything.
The Committee that manages a course can always add or remove cases where a free release is allowed or not.
All these special provisions must be brought to the attention of the players and written into the local rules.
We must also admit that we may one day find ourselves in front of a case that the rules have, to our knowledge, not foreseen! All that remains is the golden rule to do what is right.
But it is also possible to choose to grant a free clearance to a game partner in order to preserve the atmosphere of the end of the course... It's a choice to assume!
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